CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice today announced that he has appointed Jason Haught, CPA, as Interim Executive Director of the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) effective October 30, 2021.
Jason has served as Chief Financial Officer for PEIA since 2001. He is a graduate of Ceredo-Kenova High School and Marshall University.
This comes after current Executive Director Ted Cheatham announced his plans to retire effective October 29, 2021.
“I wish Ted all the best in his retirement and I have all the confidence in the world that Jason will step in for us and do a fantastic job,” Gov. Justice said. “Ted served this state really well in a position that people cast a lot of rocks at sometimes. I congratulate Ted for his service and thank him beyond belief.
“PEIA is really on the move now,” Gov. Justice continued. “From the day that I walked in the door to now, we have not had an increase in premiums. When times got tough, we stepped up and put over $100 million into the PEIA Rainy Day Fund, securing its stability for years to come, and we continue to try to help. We just had discussions earlier today on how we can help even more going forward.”
Cheatham was appointed in 2006 to oversee the PEIA self-funded group health insurance plans, which provide health and life insurance to more than 200,000 active and retired public employees and their dependents.
“Ted has done a tremendous job over the years for all our employees and the citizens of West Virginia while serving in this position,” said former Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Administration Allan McVey. “He is a consummate professional who always did his best for everyone in any situation.”
Before taking this appointment, Cheatham served in a variety of positions managing commercial health plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial health insurance products generally. He is a U.S. Army veteran and holds bachelor’s degrees in finance and personnel management, a master’s degree in business administration, and a Juris Doctorate.
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